The Woman King is a welcome diversion from the recent flurry of action movies, most of which are associated with superhero franchises. Instead, we get a period piece about the Agojie, female warriors from the Dahomey Kingdom in Africa, from director Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Old Guard). The ladies of her tribe and the captive women from other tribes are trained to become exceptional warriors of unmatched respect by General Nanisca, played by Viola Davis, who is their weary but ruthless general. Even the most soap operatic subplots are elevated by the ensemble cast to make this a movie worth seeing, even though the writing itself is a little superficial when it comes to the nuances of the social and political group dynamics of the period. Others may view it as a confirmation of history and the opportunity to see themselves on television as a glorious action hero who emerges from real life rather than a comic book. For some, this may be new and exciting, something different from Hollywood for a change.

Just A War Movie

However, The Woman King isn’t all that different from the standard Hollywood war epic in terms of general themes. Following a brazen young soldier from modest beginnings through the hardships of boot camp, we watch as recruits’ rivalries develop into strong friendships, they join a fight that will test their mettle, and brave sacrifices are made for a greater good. Even a romance subplot is included. Even if the clichés are well known, Hollywood has never used them in relation to Africans or African stories, and only infrequently in relation to women of color.

The main tribe arrangement between the more populous Oyo Empire and the Kingdom of Dahomey is described in a title plate for the story, which is set in West Africa in 1823. The latter prized its female soldiers so highly that there was gender balance at its highest levels of authority, including the Agojie, an all-female guard. The most admired of them even attained the title of Woman King, who served as the revered reign mate to the King, fighting alongside their male counterparts.

The Acting

When it comes to her king or her warriors, Viola Davis excels as the bruised and weary Nanisca. We are able to sense the lady’s heart below Davis’ stern exterior, particularly in scenes with her right-hand woman Amenza (Sheila Atim) and Nawi. Additionally, Lynch does an exceptional job of shaping Izogie to serve as Nanisca’s opposite.

The Directing

Using action and drama elements, director Gina Prince-Bythewood creates a watchable, unpretentious film that is completely at ease with itself. Its devotion to the fundamental structure of the war epic, though, makes it unlikely to defy any genre assumptions that haven’t already been shattered by its poster. It’s not altogether a terrible thing, though. Because female troops are common in Dahomey, The Woman King mostly avoids sensationalizing the fact that its characters are female soldiers.

Summary & Review

The Woman King triumphs over the drawbacks of its encumbered storyline thanks to a variety of performances that raise the overall quality. Viola Davis, who is the piece’s emotional focal point and expertly crafts her performance to shift from fierce to vulnerable as needed, is as to be expected. More unexpectedly, Thuso Mbedu, a breakout talent, plays Nawi, the new recruit for the Agojie. She drives the majority of the narrative and excels in every role the film gives her.

You don’t have to view The Woman King through that perspective, if you don’t want to and you’ll probably have a better time if you don’t. The Academy likes period war pictures, so it feels like a lock for award consideration.

The end result is an entertaining film with a diverse cast of strong women who, even in 1823, are all than capable of saving themselves and do so in an exciting way.